Failed candidates call for more transparency in Canadian politics
By Christina Jung
Hello, Broadview newsletter subscribers,
Elections in Canada provide citizens with the opportunity to exercise their rights. I remember voting for the first time as a Canadian citizen and feeling like I made a contribution and had a say in the governance of my country. But I always wondered why there were so few people of colour in Canadian politics and what their experiences are like. I was elated when Jagmeet Singh was elected leader of the federal NDP in 2017. Why? Because it’s not every day that a visible minority gets elected to lead a major federal party in Canada. As a person of colour — that was huge.
A study out of Carleton University that examined race, gender and intersectionality in legislative recruitment found that as racialized Canadians move through the selection process, their presence shrinks at each stage.
In Canada, political parties are responsible for selecting their election candidates and vetting them to ensure they meet specific criteria, but how much do we know about the vetting process?
Okwuosa explores the issue through the lens of three failed political candidates — Mi’Azhikwan (Jane Seymour), Krista Li and Sam Kaplun — whose experiences show how the selection process in Canada is opaque, with insufficient resources and what the candidates say are inconsistent standards.
Do you think the process needs improvement and if so, what are your suggestions? How can it better serve our needs and expectations as voters?
For decades, General Council Executive (GCE) meetings were open to Broadview, but in mid-February, the Executive decided that media guests are no longer welcome
